Wildfire ~ George Harrison

Chapter 22: My girl

A look of confusion washed over George's face, pushing the frustration, disgust, disappointment, anger and whatnot away. Where he had looked like he could spit fire only a second ago, he now seemed confused at my words.

'You've started a courtship? What on earth are you on about, Charles?' he asked, his voice unfortunately still laced with a hint of irritation and anger. 'What do you mean, you've started a courtship? With me?' He looked genuinely disturbed and confused as if he had missed a nota.

'No, not with you.' I wish. I didn't say it, but I thought it. I wanted to say it, but that would make it weird. And I had already made it weird. 'Fuck, it's such a mess.' I very rarely swore, but this called for some profanities. 'No, my father arranged it. The son of one of his colleagues. Henry he's called.'

I was rambling now and George put a stop to it. 'And you like this Henry?' he asked with raised eyebrows.

'No!' I protested. 'I barely even know the guy. And he's got a girlfriend that isn't me. But it's not up to if I like him or not. It's not up to me. Father decides.'

'That's bullshit, Charlotte,' he cursed back at me. 'We don't live in the eighteenth century anymore!' The fury was still very much there and the more I explained, the more angry he seemed to get.

'You maybe don't, but my family does,' I sneered at him. Had he forgotten? I had already told him about the stupid traditions of my family, about the strictness of upper class life. He knew this and he dared to put that on me?

'Oh fuck that,' he said, with a dangerously rising voice. 'I know you said your family's old fashioned, but this is just taking the piss. I'm not sure you noticed, but I'm not in the mood.'

'Calm your horses, mate,' I spit at him. I didn't appreciate his sarcasm one bit. He may say he wasn't in the mood, but I wasn't either.

'No, I'm not calming down!' He was close to shouting now. I wasn't intimidated. 'You're making this out to be something your parents decided, when you've got the reigns of your own life. If you don't want to go out with this guy, you don't have to.'

'I already had to go out with him.' I had no clue whatsoever why I told him that, but it clearly was the wrong thing to say.

'You went on a date with him?' This really seemed to get to him. Eyes downcast with a striking crestfallen look in the eyes. He seemed taken aback, dejected and despondent and all the other words that started with 'de".

'That is what you're upset about?' I spit back disbelievingly, the volume of my voice rising now too. 'You're upset I went out with him when I didn't have a choice. Meanwhile you're out there on tour with hundreds of girls drooling over you every night. God knows what you're doing every night!'

'Oh don't give me that,' he sneered, eyes spitting fire, clearly unhappy about the fact that I brought his fans up. Sure, it was unfair, but I didn't care about fair right now. I was happy for the music outside of George's room. Without it, we would give plenty of people a show.

'I don't give a flying fuck about your date with that Henry, because I know you don't like him. What I do give a damn about is the fact that he can take you out on dates. I can't. It's as simple as that, Charlotte. That nice dinner you had with this bloke, you're never going to get it with me.'

His words hit me like a kick in the guts. My anger disappeared and my demeanour deflated. I felt like I was the one deflating, like a balloon that had been pierced with a sharp object. Everything I had felt seconds ago spilled out of me. 'I see,' I said, much lower this time, almost a whisper. 'You don't like me like that.'

'Christ, that's not it!' he protested immediately. 'Have you seen yourself, dear? I'd fucking chase after you into war or some crazy shit like that. But I can't date you.'